General Music Today recent issues

From the Chair

Inks, K. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

From the Editor: Engaging Students Through Contrast and Compare, a Podcast, and YouTube

Persellin, D. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

Mom and Little Richard: The Benefits of Contrast-and-Compare Activities

Miller, B. A. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

This article discusses the numerous benefits of employing contrast-and-compare lessons in music education settings. Such activities focus on the elements of music through the higher-order thinking processes of analyzing, comparing, organizing, and evaluating.They also integrate with the teaching goals and practices of many general educators in other subject areas. By posing interesting and open-ended questions, contrast-and-compare lessons promote engagement by students of all ability levels. Finally, this technique offers opportunities for authentic formative and summative student assessment. Readers will be given carefully reasoned rationale, supporting references, and suggestions for specific lesson designs.

Reading and Rhythm: Binding Language Arts and Music in an Academic Notebook

Pearman, C. J., Friedman, T. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

The use of an academic notebook in an elementary music classroom is an effective way of integrating language arts into music instruction while helping students to reflect and think critically about music. Academic notebooks are student-created tools that help organize and track learning while students gain conceptual knowledge. The notebooks are designed to foster discussion, encourage reading and writing strategy development, and provide application activities to further strengthen the learning of music concepts. Combining music instruction with language arts reinforces integration of curriculum areas while providing academic support for a liberal arts program by enhancing its connection to the teaching and learning of literacy.

The Power of Musical Play: The Value of Play-Based, Child-Centered Curriculum in Early Childhood Music Education

Niland, A. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

Young children learn through play.This has long been acknowledged in the writings of educational theorists dating back as far as Rousseau, Pestalozzi, and Froebel and is strongly supported by current early childhood research. Play is at the heart of contemporary early childhood pedagogy, and this has led to a strong belief in the importance of an emergent, child-centered approach to curriculum. Although music educators commonly recognize the importance of making music enjoyable, music education pedagogy for young children is often teacher led and structured toward specific behavioral outcomes. Research has shown, however, that child-centered musical play can be a powerful medium for young children’s exploration of many musical elements and concepts.

Peter and the Wolf

Ammon, R. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

Brain-Compatible Music Teaching

Kenney, S. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

See! Hear! Enhanced Podcasting With GarageBand

Nardo, R. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:15 PDT

The Exquisite Recorder

Reynolds, G. A., Gottschalk, T. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:16 PDT

Enhancing Social Competence in the Music Classroom

Gooding, L. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:16 PDT

Multicultural Resources

Burton, J. B., McFarland, A. L. — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:55:16 PDT

From the Chair

Inks, K. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

From the Editor: Body Language in General Music

Persellin, D. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

Born to Hand Jive: Connecting Music, Dance, Culture, and Algebra

Wheat, B. M., Hargrove, T. Y. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

This article discusses the use of hand-clapping games and dances in the music classroom. In addition to their use for teaching music skills and concepts, these games can be quite useful for making cross-disciplinary connections to reinforce the eighth and ninth National Standards for Music Education (Standard 8: understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts; Standard 9: understanding music in relation to history and culture). Specifically, the article focuses on the Hand Jive and the ways that it may be used to help students see connections to music in history and culture as well as the underlying mathematical concept of repeated patterns on which the movements are based.

Body Parts, the Water Cycle, Plants, and Dolphins: Adventures in Primary-Grade Whole-Class Composing

Bolden, B. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

This article describes the author's personal experiences leading primary grades in whole-class composing. Together they created songs inspired by topics the students were exploring in their homeroom classes. The author systematically describes the songwriting process they employed, identifying specific challenges encountered along the way. The first task was to identify a topic, then to create a song text. Next they explored and shared musical possibilities to match the text, one line at a time. They worked together to reach consensus on various aspects of the text and tune until they had a song. The author also describes how they made use of these songs as curriculum in the school music program.

Nonverbal Communication: Increasing Awareness in the General Music Classroom

Battersby, S. L. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

As busy music teachers, we try to strike a balance between everything that we want to accomplish in a lesson and the constraints of our own teaching circumstances. What is sometimes overlooked in our efforts to fulfill our expectations is how our students really see us and what we are communicating to them with our bodies. Nonverbal exchanges such as hand gestures or facial expressions between a teacher and students can impact learning experiences in music classrooms or rehearsals. Being aware of our nonverbal output will help us to be more consistent and effective communicators and to create environments that are conducive to positive learning experiences and exciting classrooms.

Did I Grow Up Just to Stay Home?

Reynolds, G. A. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

Jazzy Books for Jazz Month

Ammon, R., Silbaugh, K. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

Literacy and Art in the Music Class: Young Children Read and Draw What They Sing

Kenney, S. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

Barriers to Effective Inclusion and Strategies to Overcome Them

Darrow, A.-A. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

A New Role for Music Technology: Enhancing Literacy

Nardo, R. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

Multicultural Resources

Burton, J. B., McFarland, A. L. — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:04:37 PDT

From the Chair

Inks, K. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

From the Editor

Persellin, D. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

SMARTer Music Teaching: Interactive Whiteboard Use in Music Classrooms

Nolan, K. K. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

Interactive whiteboard use is rapidly becoming a popular and effective teaching tool in classrooms; this article explores specific uses within music classrooms. Not only do these boards prepare students to function in a technological world, they offer myriad creative uses within the music classroom, allowing for enhanced interaction, instruction, and assessment. The use of interactive whiteboards—similar to large touch-screen tablets linked to computers—allows teachers to plan lessons using technology appropriate for all age levels, abilities, and learning styles. This article presents current research on interactive whiteboard use, numerous teaching ideas for general music educators, and two full-length music lesson plans demonstrating interactive whiteboard use.

Bringing the Family Tradition in Bluegrass Music to the Music Classroom

Mills, S. W. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

National Standard 9, "understanding music in relation to history and culture," forms the basis for this article about family traditions found in bluegrass music. With historical information about the roots of bluegrass music in the Old Time tradition, the author provides helpful links and instructional strategies to help general music students identify important components and concepts found in bluegrass music. The Digital Library of Appalachia is introduced to provide sound archives available to all teachers, and a sample lesson plan is included. Also included is a suggested listening repertoire, along with recommendations for use in the general music classroom.

Engaged Music Learning Through Children's Literature

Eppink, J. A. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

Children's literature is a wonderful addition to the general music classroom. Stories and poems can be key strategic tools for teaching musical concepts and skills while leading students to further experience writing, vocabulary, and literature. Children's literature and music provide an opportunity to increase the love of music and reading within students. This article considers the three phases that music educators experience as they prepare lessons to enhance and engage music learning with children's literature. Examples, strategies, and a sample lesson plan are included in this article.

Adapting for Students With Autism

Darrow, A.-A. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

A Marshmallow and a Song

Kenney, S. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

Multicultural Resources

Burton, J. B., McFarland, A. L. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

From the Book Shelf

Ammon, R., Silbaugh, K. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

Music Software and Young Children Fun and Focused Instruction

Peters, G. D. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

Book Review: Micheal Houlahan and Philip Tacka. Kodaly Today: A Cognitive Approach to Elementary Music Education. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008

Gault, B. — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:43 PST

From the Chair

Inks, K. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:04 PDT

From the Editor

Persellin, D. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Making Connections: Promoting Music Making in the Home Through a Preschool Music Program

Cooper, S., Berger Cardany, A. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

The Musical Play program is designed to assist children ages 2 to 5 and their parents. The program creators sought to he families build a repertoire of songs and activities for everyday living and to encourage musical play at home. The progra includes developmentally appropriate songs, materials, and activities and incorporates a wide variety of topics, presentation and interactions. The songs and activities presented contribute to the well-being of children, both cognitively and emotio ally. Music centers remain the basis of the program, as the program was designed to incorporate musical free play. The ce ters are the vehicles for engaging children in thinking and playing with music. Through these centers, parents may learn ne ways to play musically with their children. The child's acquisition of musical skills, within this rich environment, empowe and enhances personal and musical expression, as well as aids in language acquisition and coordination development.

Growing Young Musicians: Ways Music Educators Can Reach Their Littlest Learners and Those Who Care for Them

Thomas, A. E. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

This article suggests ways early childhood music educators can help parents bring more meaningful music activities into their homes. Suggestions are based on survey results from 50 parents with young children at home. The survey investigated the relationship among parents' perceived musical ability, the amount of time they spent in musical activities with their children, and the types of musical activities in which they were engaged.

Parents' Viewpoints Concerning the Value of Preschool Summer Camps

McDowell, C. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Using data from a parent survey, the author examined factors that influenced parents to enroll their children in a 5-day summer music camp. Survey questions included (a) What were the determining factors for enrolling your child in the class? (b) What activities did your child enjoy/value the most? (c) What musical activities do you and your child participate in at home? and (d) What activities did the parent participate in at home or while in school? Learning new music activities to share together, developing skills to help their children in day care, and having fun sharing music were the top reasons cited. Musical implications of early childhood teacher training and previous parent involvement are discussed.

Living Jazz, Learning Jazz: Thoughts on a Responsive Pedagogy of Early Childhood Music

Custodero, L. A. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

In this article, jazz music is used as a lens through which early childhood music pedagogy is viewed, specifically thinking about swing and improvisation—the listening and responding to what is heard and seen, and the openness to possibility. These two concepts are defined by prominent jazz musicians and are traced in the child development literature as inherent ways of relating both to both music and others. Practice that involves finding innovative and mutually supportive ways to share musical space creates opportunities for collective growth; attending to the spaces between thematic, predetermined structures creates opportunities to observe and engage with spontaneous moments of musical innovation. Such an approach to teaching and learning suggests a theoretical framework attuned to the connections between jazz and childhood development that translates to artistically authentic classroom strategies relevant to students. Direct and indirect implications are offered.

From the Bookshelf: Jazz and More

Silbaugh, K., Ammon, R. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Birth to Six: Music Behaviors and How to Nurture Them

Kenney, S. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Teaching the Youngest Learners: Musical Experiences for Infants

de l'Etoile, S. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Music Technology in the Preschool? Absolutely!

Nardo, R. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Resources and Reviews: Drumming

Marshall, H. D. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT

Multicultural Resources

Burton, J. B., McFarland, A. L. — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:55:05 PDT